History

The Pacific Northwest District of Kiwanis International was established over 100 years ago. While it was organized in the fall of 1918, its official birthday according to District Policies and Procedures is January 17, 1919, the date on which its charter was presented.

The PNW District is the only one to include the two founding nations of Kiwanis: the United States and Canada. This was intentional, with the District’s four founding clubs being established in Seattle WA, Tacoma, WA, Portland OR, and Vancouver B.C. Over the years, clubs would be opened to serve hundreds of communities, with the district expanding to the Idaho panhandle in 1925, Alaska/Yukon in 1950, and the Siskiyou County of California in 1958. Children and communities have benefited from millions of hours of service and tens of millions of dollars of contributions.

As we serve and lead in Kiwanis, we continue the legacy of those who came before us. We should be proud of our history, while we strive to achieve a better future, not just for our clubs and our district but also for the children and communities we serve.

Additional historical resources can be found at www.kiwanishistory.com, including:

– History book (including lists of past governors, past conventions, etc.);

– Historical photographs (e.g. past Governors);

– History videos; and

– Other historical documents (e.g. convention programs, old district directories).

For questions about our district’s history, please contact Patrick Ewing using the form at the bottom of the chairs and programs page.